Lutheran Church Charities

Patterns and Principles – Part 7 – July 26, 2019

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10

Loyalists: Loyalists love to be part of a great team. When the chips are down, you can count on them. They crave a cause to which they can give themselves, and want to be part of a group they can believe in. At their best, loyalists help everyone else become better. They’re usually quite bright and articulate, although they may not always volunteer their thoughts. They can become cynical when they feel let down – which is inevitable at times. That’s why the Bible has so much to say about showing grace and extending forgiveness to each other. When twelve-steppers use the term ‘the God of your understanding’, they’re referring to your personal perception of God. Loyalists often perceive God as hard to please, so their signature sin is fear. Jesus told of three servants who were each given a sum of money to invest. The first two invested wisely, bringing profit to their master and pleasing him. But the third, afraid of failing and incurring his master’s displeasure, buried his talent in the ground (see Matthew 25:14-30). The ‘takeaway’ in Christ’s parable is that God reserves His harshest judgment not for those who try and fail, but for those who fail to try because they give in to fear. Someone estimated that there are 365 ‘fear nots’ in Scripture; that’s one for every day of the year. If God designed a bumper sticker it might read, ‘Fear not.’ So don’t be afraid – He’s with you today!

Prayer
Heavenly Father, turn my ‘fear nots’ into ‘why nots’, with faith that You can do all things. In Jesus’ Name, Amen